Events

This is a hybrid meeting:

• Join us in person at Knox Presbyterian Church (Lisgar & Elgin) in Geneva Hall. Please use the Garden Entrance on Elgin Street. Limited free street parking is available on Saturdays, and the City Hall Parking Garage is available for $2.00.
• Join online by registering here.

This registration covers both events.

The Travelling Genealogist: BIFHSGO members' top tips for travelling to research your family history / 9 a.m. EDT

Moderator: Dianne Brydon 

This moderated session will focus on recommendations for a successful family history research tour, drawn from our members’ experience. From what we have already received, a common theme is “be prepared” —with variations. We’ll review the top tips and then open the mics so participants can share their own experiences. If you have a tip you’d like included, please send it to Dianne Brydon at programs@bifhsgo.ca. Or join us and share it live. There’s a wealth of experience in our community!

The Rise and Fall of John Lowther Kemp Sr. 1793–1869 / 10 a.m. EDT

Presenter: Doug Loucks

This “riches to rags” story began with newspaper clippings found early in 2023 that reported: “Mr. John Lowther Kemp, formerly hop merchant at Canterbury has been nominated by the Right Hon. the Earl of Romney as a poor brother of the Charter House.” This exciting find prompted hours of research, and a trip overseas to tour the Charterhouse and to walk the streets of Canterbury where Doug Loucks’ 4x great -grandfather John rose to great wealth before the changing times swept him into poverty.

Doug Loucks has been an avid amateur genealogist since the 1960s.  He is the Past President of the Grand River Branch of The United Empire Loyalists and holds two UEL certificates. Doug retired seven years ago as a United Church Minister, and prior to that he was a Senior Technician in Microbiology at the University of Guelph. Doug lives in St Marys, Ontario, with his wife Jane. They have four children and six grandchildren. Doug is a member of BIFHSGO and greatly appreciates the mentoring he received in preparing this presentation.

Drop-in Chat Thursday, 16 April 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. EST

Want to chat over a coffee and sweet treat with BIFHSGO friends?

Drop in to The White Pine Café at Arlington Woods Church 225 McClellan Road, off Greenbank Road. 

This is a hybrid meeting:

• Join us in person at Knox Presbyterian Church (Lisgar & Elgin) in Geneva Hall. Please use the Garden Entrance on Elgin Street. Limited free street parking is available on Saturdays, and the City Hall Parking Garage is available for $2.00.
• Join online by registering here.

. This registration covers both events.

Documenting Lives: A Spotlight on BIFHSGO's Partnership with Library and Archives Canada from 1994 to 2026 and Beyond / 9 a.m. EDT

BIFHSGO Research and Projects Director Sue Lambeth, joined by Nicole Watier, Genealogy Consultant at Library and Archives Canada (LAC), will speak about the partnership between BIFHSGO and LAC that has spanned more than 31 years. They will highlight projects undertaken by BIFHSGO volunteers that document events in the lives of British home children. Sue and Nicole will also offer a look ahead, describing new initiatives planned for 2026 and beyond.

A Good and Faithful Servant: the life of Henry Arrowsmith Brogdon (1812-1883) / 10 a.m. EDT

Presenter: Veronica Scrimger

In the 19th century, Methodism expanded greatly in the counties of Northumberland and Durham. Like many other lay preachers at this time, Veronica Scrimger’s 3x great-grandfather Henry Brogdon made a significant lifelong contribution to the spread of the word of God. He preached in over 165 cities, towns and villages in the northeast of England. His was a dual life; Henry worked a full-time job and spent his evenings and Sundays sharing the teachings of Jesus Christ. Henry witnessed the development of the railways and the expansion of coal mining in the Great Northern coalfield. His death in December 1883 left a huge void in his community of Willington, County Durham. 

Veronica Scrimger is a retired librarian and telecommunications product manager. Her one regret in life is that she did not discover the enjoyment of family history research long before 2015! So far, she has researched and written about most of her husband's interesting Scrimger ancestors. Hannah Scrimger's story appeared in the ACR in Spring 2025. Veronica is now delving into the lives of her Methodist ancestors on the paternal side, including one who was a contemporary of John Wesley. She is currently an active member of the BIFHSGO Writing Group.

This is a hybrid meeting:

Join us in person at Knox Presbyterian Church (Lisgar & Elgin) in Geneva Hall. Please use the Garden Entrance on Elgin Street. Limited free street parking is available on Saturdays, and the City Hall Parking Garage is available for $2.00.
Join online by registering here.

This registration covers all events.

Annual General Meeting / 9 a.m. EDT

BIFHSGO’s Annual General Meeting. Elections to the Board of Directors will be held for: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Communications and Membership.

Great Moments / 10 a.m. EDT

William Wallace: Family Myth, Brick Wall, Twice an Exile

Presenter: Carolyn Brown

Breaking the brick wall of this Loyalist ancestor meant first exploding a family myth and then using every genealogy pathway to learn his true origin.

Carolyn Brown has benefited from her long involvement in the British Colonial America SIG to learn more about her ancestors in 10 of the 13 Colonies. She took up genealogy seriously in 2010 when her father, who had compiled a lot of information in the pre-Internet age, passed on his files to her. When she’s not doing genealogy, Carolyn is a scientific and medical writer, editor and publishing consultant.

Secrets: The Pullman Family Revisited

Presenter: Patty McGregor

Patty's grandmother, Sadie Pullman Weir (1896-1981), had always wondered about her father's origins. The search to find the family of her father, John Pullman (1841-1905), was the subject of a BIFHSGO talk back in 2003. As it turned out, his weren't the only secrets the Pullman family kept close. New information has challenged those original findings, and led to questions about the well-documented 'paper trail'. 

Patty McGregor is a retired public servant who was born and raised in Toronto but has lived in Ottawa since 1998. She has been seriously researching her roots since the early 1990s and is a graduate of the National Institute of Genealogical Studies as well as the author of the NIGS Canadian Immigration course. Some of you may recognize her as one of the Marketplace vendors at in-person genealogy conferences, selling used and out-of-print books related to family history research.

Nottingham’s Old General

Presenter: Marianne Rasmus

While researching one of her direct lines, Marianne Rasmus stumbled across a distant cousin, whose otherwise unremarkable life made an unforgettable impact on the people of Nottingham—a story which remains part of the city's lore to this day. Beginning with a present-day search for a statue, Marianne will examine available records and newspaper articles and share the remarkable story of Nottingham's Old General.

After reluctantly taking Canadian History as a “filler” course in college, Marianne Rasmus discovered her passion for history. It became an obsession when she began researching her family in 2008 and uncovered long-forgotten stories in her family tree. Born and raised in Vancouver, Marianne spent her life in BC, but when the opportunity for a mid-life adventure presented itself, Marianne and her husband, Bill, took the plunge and moved to Ottawa in 2013. Marianne became a member of BIFHSGO in 2014. She has given several presentations, served on the Board, the Conference Planning Committee, and is facilitator for the British Colonial America SIG. She was inducted to the BIFHSGO Hall of Fame in June 2025